Tissue Paper

The title sounds very errant. You might be wondering why did I choose to write about tissue paper among all the other things in the world! Well, it all goes on my another encounter with truth of life.

"Tissue paper" as we all know is to be used and thrown. It has no other use.. not even is it recycled! Unfortunately, we all fail to understand its importance in our lives.

Similar is the case with people too. At some point or the other, most of us get used by someone else just like a tissue paper. To wipe away tears, to dry off sorrows or even just to feel good.. all of us use someone else as an emotional tissue paper. And most of the times.. the tissue paper is not even given a second look and is dumped straight into the garbage and forgotten completely.

Only if we could try and understand the importance of these tissue paper like people in our lives, we could be better humans. But we hardly care about it and hardly bother about spending sometime thinking about it.

People are not meant to be used like tissue paper. We are humans.. having the same feelings, pain, emotions and love. There is no difference among us. All of us need to be heard, cared and loved. Then why be avaricious and always intend to take benefit from others? Why not try and show some selfless attitude?

The reason behind this covetous behaviour is our egomaniacal society which directs us all the time. Result is, we "Love things and use people". Only when people change themselves mindfully, topped with some sensibility and sensitivity, we can expect that "Use things and love people" would occur.

ஏமாற்றிய நிலவு

ஜன்னல் வழி வந்து
மின்னும் ஒளி தந்து
படுத்திருந்த என்னை
பார்க்க வைத்தாய் உன்னை

விளையாட வா என்று அழைத்தாய்
யாருமில்லா இடத்திற்கு இழுத்தாய்
உன்னில் மயங்கி எழுந்தேன்
உன் எண்ணம் புரியாமல் விரைந்தேன்
என்னுடன் விளையாடுவாய் என்று நினைத்திருந்தேன்
மேகங்களுடன் நீ உறவாட ஏமார்ந்திருந்தேன்

காத்திருந்தேன் காத்திருந்தேன்
மேகங்கள் விலகும் என காத்திருந்தேன்
நீ என்னை நினைப்பாய் என காத்திருந்தேன்
எனக்காக நீ வருவாய் என காத்திருந்தேன்
நேரம் அறியாமல் காத்திருந்தேன்

நேரமும் அழிந்தது
உன் எண்ணமும் புரிந்தது
என் தவறும் எனக்கு தெரிந்தது
காற்றும் என் உதவிக்கு வராததால்
உனக்கும் என் ஆசை புரியாததால்
ஏமாற்றிய உன்னை மறக்க இயலாமல்
வீடு திரும்பி படைத்தேன் இம்மடல்

Gults

The tam got another result for his thesis and hence is on 7th heaven. He is supposed to meet the diga in the ground floor of ICT (a building in University of Calgary). He runs down the stairs humming the song he was just listening in his office.

Tam: Sorgam enbathu namakku...

That was the first line of a famous tam song from a little old kamalhasan movie called nammavar.

Diga: Sutham ulla veedu thaan

Wowie... The diga completes the second line of that song. The tam is taken by surprise and stares at her like one stares at a victorious indian cricket team.

Diga: Why are you staring like that.. it is scaring me...

Tam: You know this song? I never thought you would know this.

Diga: Hey gubaal... I know many tam songs idiot.. unlike you tams.. here.. take another sample.. chinna chinna aasai, sirakadikkum aasai.. muthu muthu aasai...

The tam is even more surprised. Thats a super famous song of rahman from a national award winning movie 'Roja' by Maniratnam. He is also laughing as the words were pronounced wrong. Nevertheless, it was awesome for a diga to know so much about tam songs. He is truly surprised and wants to congratulate her. But...

Diga: See gubaal. Learn from us. Don't be like the frog in the well. Listen to other movie songs also. Stupid tams, you are all so narrow minded that you never listen to other songs.

Now... The 0.1% wish to appreciate vanished. The tam wants to teach her a lesson.

Tam: See. I have already answered this. Our movies are way better and our songs are way better. There is no comparison. So obviously, other people listen to our songs. We don't have to... hehe...

Diga: Idiot... dont give me such dumb answers.. do you know atleast one diga song or not?

Tam: Of course.. I know a song.. Last time I sang it to you, even you didnt know that song...

Diga: Which song?

Tam: Tic tic tic tic tic.. tic tic tic tic tic.. How can I not know this song of Rajkumar.. almost zen like lyrics... if you come tomorrow, it will be too late.. if you come today, it will be too early... you pick the time.. tic tic tic tic tic tic tic... (link to song at end of post)

and the Tam starts laughing loudly. The diga is stunned by this onslaught as she didnt expect him to sing this...

Diga: Dont laugh at such songs.. Have you ever seen the stunts of Vijayakanth.. stupid fellow..

Tam: tic tic tic tic tic tic tic tic tic tic tic...

Diga: Saaku maado... (stop it)... lets not tease our own movies... gult movies lend themselves way better to such comments.. hehe

Tam: Yeah yeah.. that too.. as long as Balayya movies are around...

Diga: hehe hehe hehe... train was sent back.. omg!! (link to scene at end of post) I can never forget it.. JAIIII CHENNAKESHAVA!!!!!

Tam: JAIIIII CHENNAKESHAVA!!! JAIIII CHENNAKESHAVA!!!

Diga: Hehehehehehe... what ideas... we should kick them for such movies... lets unite and kick them..

Tam: Ok.. cool.. may all the tams and digas unite against the gults....

Diga: Amen!!!

Statutory warning: This is purely only for fun. The tam and diga participating in the series, love the other persons language and culture just as theirs. No harm intended to anyone in any way whatsoever.

PS: No offence meant to gults. Both of us have many great gult friends. We simply pull everyones leg and this time it was theirs. Thats it.

PPS: These are not made up conversations. They are typed out as they happened with little spices here and there. Thats it.

PPPS:

1.) tic tic tic song

2.) train move back scene

Reality

Don't even attempt to perceive the true nature of reality. Such a dualistic approach is essentially self defeating. Instead, merge thyself into reality and become one with it.

In other words, do not try to be nature friendly or environment friendly. Thats nonsense. Realize that thou art nature.

Krishna sweets

The tam being someone who can devour sweets like hell, it was not surprising that the friendly fire of the two friends was on the arena of sweets. This day, the tam was outnumbered as there were two digas in one of the digas' house fighting the tam.

Diga1: Have you ever visited Krishna sweets in Bengalooru?

Tam: What do you mean?

Diga2: Come on yaar. You were in Bengalooru for 1.5 years. Don't tell me that you didnt visit Krishna sweets even once.

Tam: What? What are you guys talking about? Krishna sweets.. how could I have not visited it? Many many times. You don't need your teeth to eat their mysorepak. Delicious!!!

Diga2: See, you tam. You are in love with a diga sweet shop.

At this, the tam gets a little pissed off. Naturally.

Tam: What.. why are you guys blabbering like this? Krishna sweets is our own sweet shop. It has so many branches in chennai and it has a branch in almost every locality in Coimbatore. For your kind information, its based out of Coimbatore and its a tam shop.

The two digas are stunned at this as they didnt know this. After feverishly googling krishna sweets for sometime, they sheepishly grinned and agreed that it was actually a tam shop.

Diga1: It might be a tam shop but it is famous for a diga sweet. Can't you guys make money by making your own sweet.

The two digas started to laugh as they thought they had the tam pinned.

Tam: Its actually a shame on you. We can make your sweet better. HeHe.... :)

Diga1: That does not matter. What matters is plagiarism. Don't copy, you copycats.


and the battle continues...



Statutory warning: This is purely only for fun. The tam and diga participating in the series, love the other persons language and culture just as theirs. No harm intended to anyone in any way whatsoever.

Misc thoughts

There is a state in India called Kerala. Keralites like to call it 'God's own country'. Unfortunately, someone else has other ideas. They think its their own dumpyard. Stinking!!!

Rediff (and many other news sites) have been reporting the so called bloodbath in Sensex over the past few days. Analysts have decreied SEBI policies that resulted in the the loss of more than a billion investor dollars. Virtual non-existent money lost in gambling and will be remade soon. Virtual tears!!

A lot of people talk about peak oil. Many debate about its significance super passionately. I wonder if it would be more germane to talk about peak greed, peak stupidity, peak fear???

Rabid optimist

Received this poem on a mailing list. Apparently this was written by someone called 'Satinath Sarangi'. I don't know why, but I find this poem to be enchantingly beautiful. I've read this so many times since morning and I can't seem to get enough of it.

Yes,
I am a rabid optimist
For me
Every tree that continues to stand
Every stream that continues to flow
Every child that runs away from home
is an indication
that the battle is not only on
It is being won.

You may tell me about
the nuclear arms race
And all I can tell you
is that an unknown child
held my hand
with love.

You will try to draw me
into the plateau of practical life Tell me
that not only god
but all the religious
and irreligious leaders are dead
And all I can tell you
is that across the forest
Lives a young man
who calls the earth
his mother.

You will give me the boring details
of the rise of state power
after every revolution
And all I can tell you
is that in our tribe
we still share our bread

You will reason with me
And I will talk nonsense like this
And because
the difference between breathing
and living life
is the difference between
reason and poetry
I will read poems to you
Poems full of optimism
Poems full of dreams
And maybe a poem better than this

Modern Purananooru

Purananooru is an ancient work in tamil. It is a collection of 400 poems by different authors. Poem 192 by 'Kaniyan Poongundran' is the most famous amongst the 400. It famously states 'yaathum oore, yaavarum kelir' i.e. 'all towns are my hometown, all of humanity are my brethren'. This work is a modern adaptation of that work. Unless you know that poem, the following will not make sense. Apologies if this does not make sense to you. The translation is given below but the attempted humor might be lost if you don't know tamil and the original poem.

yaathum probleme, yaavarum supervisore
proofum resultum pirar thara vaara
vetti time passum super workum avarro ranna
aapu puthuvathu anre
result inithu ena magizhthandrum ilame
neervazhi paduvum punaipol
gradlife supervisor muraivazhi paduvum
enbathu pazhutha grad student kaatchiyin thelinthanam aagalin
publish seitha periyorum grad studentae
publish seiyatha siriyorum grad studentae


Everything's a problem, all are supervisors
Proofs and results don't come from others
False work or true work is a personal choice
Being scowled at by all and sundry is nothing new
Results don't make us go overbaord
The river predestines the path of the boat
Similarly, supervisor predestines the path of the grad student
Thus, have we seen in visions of experienced grad students
Hence, thou art a grad student if thou publish
even better, thou still art a grad student if thou publish not

One early morning after a strenuous yoga session...both tam and diga digging into some breakfast(bought by the tam) at Coffee company...

Suddenly the tam grabs the digas' glass of water and drinks it all at one go!!
Good enough reason for the diga to get terribly annoyed...

Diga: Hey you idiot tam... how dare you drink all my water??

Tam: So what? What's the big deal? Go and get yourself another glass of water...

Diga: You tams... you are so thirsty all the time. Not just my glass of water... you also take away all our Cauvery water!

Tam: You selfish digas... you think that Cauvery river is your personal property! I would not be amazed if one day you claim the Bow river(river in Canada) as yours!

At this, the diga gets pissed off and picks her bag... pretending to leave...

Tam: Hey diga... sorry da... please do not go

Diga: Well, I could consider staying only if you promise to pay for coffee for the next 10 times

Tam cannot say 'no' as the diga is his best friend... and they continue sipping coffee with something new to discuss...

Statutory warning: This is purely only for fun. The tam and diga participating in the series, love the other persons language and culture just as theirs. No harm intended to anyone in any way whatsoever.

Export

With an uncharacteristic aggressive swagger and tone, the tam approaches the unsuspecting diga and...

Tam: U digas are cunning and super manipulative.. as always..

The diga is startled by this unexpected onslaught.. as its usually her who throws the first punch.. never one to let go of a chance to fight, she counters...

Diga: Abhey.. Kya bakwas.. what happened now?

Tam: You exported amma to us.. u should have kept her with yourself.. what else can you call such people?

Diga: Hehehehe...

She obviously can't control her chuckle anymore...

Tam: Amma vs Deve Gowda would have been far better than Amma vs MK... take her back...

She just can't control her laughter now and is laughing out loud....


and the battle continues...


Statutory warning: This is purely only for fun. The tam and diga participating in the series, love the other persons language and culture just as theirs. No harm intended to anyone in any way whatsoever.

Almost missed a Nobel Prize!

How important is sharing information? After spending quite sometime now in research, I have realized that not every information must be shared... especially those(like highly confidential information about starfishes not having brains!) which may possibly give the other a chance to win a Nobel prize!

The two important rules to be followed are:

1. Never cc an e-mail(that can contain critical information like the one above) to the one person whom you think is a potential competitor in winning a Nobel prize.

2. Always cc an e-mail which contains dumb information to that one person... just to ensure that he/she is in good humor.

This lesson was learnt recently, thanks to the person who taught me this lesson, but unfortunately did not think that the information meant to be hidden could be shared by someone else too!
Thank god! I had almost missed the huge opportunity of winning a Nobel prize!!

Fight for Language supremacy - Jnanpith vs Bharat Ratna

Tam and diga are having coffee (bought by the diga) at Goodearth (sells organic, fair trade coffee).... having general conversation about african mysticism... Suddenly the topic changes to kannada movies.. Unexpectedly, the racist tam takes a dig on diga movies and the diga is forced to respond...

Diga: I know the tam language and also I have watched so many tam movies..and you stupid tam....you inspite of staying in diga nation (the tam was working in Bengaluroooooooooooo for sometime) for over a year and a half, let alone learning the language.. you have not even watched one diga movie!! Shame on you!

Tam: In India there are only three centres that produce good/popular movies, hindi, tam and gult. Since we already get the best in our home nation itself, we do not have to go out for good movies. We have directors like Manirathnam, musicians like Rahman and actors like Kamal Hassan....so we do not have any need to watch other language movies, especially diga movies.

With this, the tam thinks he has scored a point and is grinning from ear to ear... Not knowing that the diga is gonna blast him for this..

Diga: This just reflects your contempt for other languages...especially diga language. We are open minded and hence watch other language movies. Because of this culture of ours we accept everyone... and this has made us and our language rich.

Language being the pride point of the tam, he cannot stand this onslaught... He decides to confront the diga head on...

Tam: Don't even think on comparing the languages. It is a losing battle for you. Tam language is so much more richer and older than the diga language.

The diga being a super proud diga, can't stand someone (that too a tam) ridiculing her dear language...

Diga: What nonsense! How can you say that? Diga language is way more richer...

Tam: Anyone who knows little history knows that tam language is older and richer. We had our grammar written down in a book when you guys had just stone inscriptions. For your kind information, the book tolkappiam was written in 150 B. C. Our literature is more than 2000 yrs old and is naturally richer than yours.

The diga decides enough is enough and decides to use her brahmastra..

Diga: Don't make a fool of yourself by living in the past. Live in the present. Do you know about Jnanpith awards? Do you atleast know what it is given for? Digas have won 6 jnanpith awards for literature since independence. We are the highest winners of the award in India. Do you know how may tams have won?

Tam: Jnanpith....What??...no clue!

Diga: You dont even know what that is and you are talking about languages.. Tams have won it only twice. This clearly shows that diga literature is way more richer.

Tam: Don't be a dumb-diga... don't play the numbers game with me. Do you know that there is something called Bharat ratna awards...Tams have the highest number of this award in the country. We have 8 Bharat Ratna awards so far... and in a vriety of fields ranging from politics to science to music to philosophy.. Do you know how many digas have won?

Diga: No clue...

Tam: Digas have managed to produce only one man in 60 yrs who was useful for the country. Only one Bharath Ratna - Vishveshwariah. Because of this...should I say that tams are more valuable to the country than digas?

Never expecting this, the diga is a little taken aback...

Diga: Shut up you stupid tam!! Bharath ratna is the most polictically manipulated award in India...whereas, with Jnanpith..that is not true.....

Tam: No no no..... what nonsense.... you have lost it... I'm not talking anymore...

They continue sipping hot coffee...avoiding looking into each other's eye... after sometime (about a min...) look at each other and laugh out loud...


and the battle continues...


Statutory warning: This is purely only for fun. The tam and diga participating in the series, love the other persons language and culture just as theirs. No harm intended to anyone in any way whatsoever.

Hosa lekhaki - Sneha 'the diga'

If you are wondering what those strange sounding first two words are, don't worry. You are the majority. They mean 'new author' in kannada. Yes, there is one more author to this blog and thats Sneha.

Despite she being a 'dumb diga' (in my opinion) and I being a 'stupid tam' (in her opinion), due to a strange quirk of fate we have become friends here in Calgary. Though she frequently pisses me of by alluding to cauvery water and I frequently get under her skin by pointing to the electricity supply to Karnataka from TN, we have managed to remain as friends and this has surprised even us. Fact is indeed stranger than fiction.

Sneha is vastly experienced in life. Vastly as in colossally, enormously, gigantically, hugely, immensely, massively, monumentally and stupendously. Seriously. Am not kidding. It would take most of us more than half a life time to experience stuff she has and in fact many of us might not even experience so many things in a complete life time. Also, she is a phd student in chemistry and often hits people around with words like 'XRD', 'solid state' etc (which have incidentally been banned from this blog). In her past time, besides reading lots of books, she cooks and feeds a lot of hungry and starved souls here :).

You can expect a lot of our Tam vs Diga fights to be posted here. Also, she will author a series called 'phd tragics' modelled on phdcomics. Though this one will not have too many cartoons, I am sure it will be a really awesome series (given her experiences in her phd). Of course, there will be posts on other topics too.

Welcome Sneha. Come and enrich this space with your knowledge and experiences.


PS: Please appreciate me. It took me tremendous strength and courage to set aside my tam pride and male pride to invite a female and that too a diga to come and enrich this space. lolz!!

Burma

If you've been following news with a little more than a passing interest, you would have noticed all the news about the horrific incidents in Burma. Utterly shamelessly, our nation has not even condemned it in strong terms. How different are we from a rapists' accomplice who tacitly condones the rapists' actions for monetary or other purposes? Shame on you India. Feels horrible. This is not something new. Apart from a brief period after the 8888 uprising, India has been licking the asses of the oppressors in Burma for their gas. Nothing can capture this more vividly than the following cartoon (obtained from the end of this article).

More cartoons can be found here.

Having nothing ..

How come nothing will make wonders. Well, this is how .. ?

A greedy man will always say he doesn't have something ..
A less greedy man will always say, I could have had something ..
A man of nothing will always say, I have everything in this world ..

Today I guess I'm a man of nothing, had little sum for the month, but was able to donate some of that .. This was an awesome feeling that ran about me, the very moment I felt I would share something. I had never donated so much when I had everything, yeah would have, but the ratio was very petty, but why did I felt giving away when I had almost nothing? ... hmm quite fuzzy, probably the nothing was not absence of money but absence of greed.

It was a wonderful feeling by giving and not getting. I guess having nothing will make one have everything? Nothing really makes a difference, makes freedom and happiness.

.. perhaps thats why poor people are singing and happy ..
.. perhaps thats why they call God as nothingness ..

regards.

Moral of the story

The set of friends should not have subsets.

The story of the moral will be posted soon :)

Kaettaen kaettaen

Roomoma homegamaya
Boredomoma excitementgamaya
Existenceoma lifegamaya
Solitudeoma companionshipgamaya
Calgaryoma Chennaigamaya